High hopes for new members of human rights body
High hopes for new members of human rights body
JAKARTA (JP): Political observers Arbi Sanit and Ramlan
Surbakti are optimistic about the four new members of the
National Commission on Human Rights.
Interviewed separately yesterday, they said the new members
have the kind of personality that the commission needs to
maintain its independence.
Arbi, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said that the
biggest challenge facing the commission is holding on to its
independence and objectivity.
"The commission has won public acclaim for its objectivity and
become a respected democratic institution, both at home and
abroad," Arbi said.
The commission Friday elected psychologist Saparinah Sadli,
retired police Maj. Gen. Koesparmono Irsan, former legislator
from the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction Maj. Gen. (ret.) Samsudin,
and former secretary-general of the Ministry of Justice Mohammad
Salim to replace members who died or resigned.
"We will see if the new members from the Armed Forces and
bureaucracy will be able to resist external pressures and remain
independent," he said.
Arbi added that the government appears to have put security
and economic development above increasing public demand for
democracy. The condition has led the government to take more
stringent measures in its effort to control the demands, he said,
citing as an example the way government critics are branded as
communists.
Arbi also noted that the authorities resort more frequently to
violence when evicting residents to make way for development
projects.
"They think that such harsh measures are justified. The
inability of government officials to comprehend complex problems
has put the bureaucracy on the defensive," he said.
This condition has helped bolster the public's hope that the
commission will play a larger role in defending the oppressed, he
said.
Ramlan, a lecturer at Surabaya's Airlangga University, pointed
out that the government's overemphasis on political stability has
led to widespread violations of human rights.
According to Ramlan, many violations involve government
policies on development and security and are therefore
"structural" in nature.
Ramlan said land disputes are the most common case of a
"structural" rights violation that the commission receives.
The commission said this year that it has received 3,413
letters, 1,742 of which dealt with forced land appropriations,
house demolitions, labor disputes, and mistreatment by government
officials. Over the past 11 months, it has helped investigate and
solve 1,450 cases, a 67 percent increase from last year's 867
cases.
Judging from all the new members' backgrounds, Ramlan said he
was sure that they will be able to work effectively in dealing
with structural problems. (08)